Seed-cotton culler



April 15, 1924. 1,490,835

J. T. LAWRENCE 5 BED COTT ON CULLER Filed Nov. 18, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2J 1'. Lawrence Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,4ats35 PATENT OFFICE.

SEED-COTTON CULLER.

Application filed November 18, 1922. Serial No. 601,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Spartanburg, inthe county of Spartanburg, and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSeed-Cotton Gullers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The object of the invention is to provide a simplified and improvedconstruction of seed cotton culling apparatus operating substantially onthe principle of that disclosed in my Patent #1340963, granted May 11,1920, and having advantages particularly in the matter of the separationof hard objects from the cotton and the detachment of lint from suchobjectsin'the disposal of the latter, and in the removal of the lintfrom the detaching means and in the general operation of the devicewhereby an increased efficiency is secured while the possibility of 1mixing the cotton belonging to separate successive bales due to theliberation at the feeder of the contents of a succeeding bale before thecompletion of the ginning of the cotton of the preceding baleand whichin practice'is objectionable, is entirely eliminated by the cutting offof the suction from the feeder during the cleaning of the separatorelements of the culler; and with these objects in viewthe inventionconsists in a construction and combination and relation of parts ofwhich a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a culler embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view showing the outlet chute partlybroken away.

Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the separator units.

The drum which as illustrated is of cylindrical form as being thepreferred con-,

substantial alignment, with an interposed bafile plate which extendsdownward to a plane below the bottom of the said inlet and outletpassages and which is substantially midway between the same asillustrated. In the bottom of the drum and extending practicallythroughout the length thereof is an outlet opening 16 with whichcommunicates outlet chute 17 arranged vertically in pendant relationwith the drum and in a position to receive any hard objects such asstones, metal and the like which maybe carried by the cotton and whichis deflected downwardly by contact with the baffle plateinterposedibetween the inlet and outlet openings of the drum, saidchutebeing interiorly fitted with separator units 18 defining a zig-zagpath through which the said objects may pass in their progress to thelower end of the chute. In the construction illustrated these separatingunits consist of series of parallel segmental, preferably semisciroularperipherally toothed plates 19, which in practice may consist ofhalf-sections or segmental sections of gin saw gangs which arealternately disposed with relation to the side walls of the chute so asto produce the zig-zag or circuitous passage way, and the teeth of theblades are directed upwardly so as to catch and hold the seed cottonwhich may be carried into the chute by the objects entering the same andtraversing the passageby gravity, the lower end of the chute beingnormally closed by means of a hinged gate or valve 19 seated upon atransverse horizontal abutment 20 constituting a valve seat. Obviouslythe discontinuance or reduction of the suction blast will permit of thedropping by gravity of the gate valve and hence the discharge of theheavy objects which have accumulated thereon, while the leak age of airpast the valve which does not necessarily seat in air tight relationwith the chute casing, serves to remove loose seed cotton from the chuteand from the teeth of the separating units to avoid clogging thereof andhence interference with the downward progress of the heavy objects. Topermit of securing the valve or gate in its open position when it isdesired to cause a positive draft through the chute to remove seedcotton from the separat-in units a fastening means may be employed Vwith the objectionable result of mixing the V such as a hook 21swingingly mounted upon the chute casing for engagement with a suitableeye or staple 22. The fastenlng means obviously is designed to preventthe closing of the gate valve during the opera tion of removing the lintwhich has accumulated on the separating units and during this operationit is preferred to cut off the suction from the feed station to whichextends the drum or pipe communicating with the inlet passage or openingof'the drum, and to this end a slide valve 23 is mounted upon the head13 of the drum for movement either into partial or complete closingrelation with said inlet opening, an operating rod 24: being connectedwith the said valve and being provided at its extremity with a pin 25for engagement selectively with openings 26 in a bracket 27 dependingfrom the lower end of the chute. The closing of the inlet opening orpassage through the drum during the cleaning of the separating units ofthe chute has the further advantage, in addition to directing thecomplete force of the suction through the chute,

of preventing the introduction of material "inlet and outlet openingsand a baflie plate from a fresh bale at the feeding station contents oftwo successive bales, it being obvious thatthe cotton which has passedthrough the drum and has proceeded to the gin remains under operationfor a considerabletime after the last of the bale has passed through thedrum and hence during an interval in which it is convenient to open thechute to relieve the separator units of the accumulation of lintthereon.

It will further be noted that by the arrangement of the outlet openingor the passage in an abrupt wall or head 14 of the drum and arrangingthe outlet into the waste chute throughout the length of the drumprovides against the possibility of heavy and objectionable objectsbeing carried by the blast through the drum instead of being eliminatedin accordance with the purpose of the drum. These heavy objects eventhough they may be carried with considerable force by the blast in itspassage from the feeding station to the drum, upon I encountering thetransverse bafiie plate ingate valve.

terposed between the inlet and outlet passages of the drum are throwndownward and directly into the chute wherein the opposing current of airis of such a reduced speed or force as not to have any tendency tointerfere with the downward passage of such objects to the lower end ofthe chute where they can readily be disposed of, as above indicated, bythe dropping of the While the preferred embodiment of this invention isshown and described it will be understood that minor changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithin the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described the invei'ition, what I claim is 1. A seed cottonculler having a drum provided with opposite inlet and outlet openingsand a batiie plate disposed. between them, an outlet chute extendingfrom the drum, a valve within the drum operable to control the inletopening, and operating means for the valve extending through the wall ofthe drum and exteriorly of the outlet chute.

2. A seed cotton culler having a drum provided with opposite inlet andoutlet openings and a baffle plate disposed between them, an outletchute extending from the drum, a valve within thedrum operable tocontrol the inlet opening, operating means for the valve extendingthrough the wall of the drum and exteriorly of the outlet chute,

and cooperating fastening means between the chute and operating means tosecure the valve in adjusted position.

3. A seed cotton culler having opposite an operating rod connected withsaid valve and provided with a terminal stud, and a bracket having aseries of openings for selective engagement by said studs.

v 5. A seed cotton culler having a drum provided with opposite inlet andoutlet openings and an interposed transversely arranged baflie plate,and a chute depending from and communicating with the bottom of the drumand provided with separating units disposed to form a zig-zag passageand provided with upwardly, directed teeth.

6. A seed cotton culler having a drum provided with opposite inlet andoutlet openings and an interposed transversely arranged bafiie plate,and a chute depending from and communicating with the bottom of the drumand provided with separating units disposed to form a zig-zag passageand provided with upwardly directed teeth. each of said units consistingof a series of parallel spaced peripherally toothed segmental blades.

7 A seed cotton culler having a drum ity and means for securing the samein open 1 position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHAPMAN. SANDY E. HATGHETT.

